Elephantiasis...and Indolent Dispositions in Diseases

Of the unnatural Growth of
Parts.—These often form what may be called a species of monstrosity of parts, either diffused or circumscribed.
They are generally situated in the cellular membrane, and feel doughy and soft,
and are usually superficial, extending to the skin till it hangs as if by its
own weight, sometimes having a broad base, but often hanging by a small neck :
they appear to be in the cellular membrane what exostosis is in bone. These
parts are less ductile than the natural parts. I have seen the double chin
become one of these ; I have seen them on the belly. Perhaps they produce
absorption in the parts on which they press ; for the bones underneath have
been sometimes found deficient.

Preternatural accumulations of fat take place in the
same manner; not depending on a deposit of interstitial substance, nor being
adventitious, but a preternatural growth ; and are common to every part of the
body, not excepting the internal parts. People have died of fat on the
pericardium, and sometimes it is found in the bellies of cattle, as sheep. In
the human subject these accumulations acquire an immense size, being composed
of very solid fat, and in some degree moveable, being in separate parts, or
lobulated, when between the skin and muscles. They may in general be
distinguished by the former being of a regular uniform softness, whilst the
latter appear to be composed of solid pieces of fat, having a surface irregular
to the feel.

The interstitial or diffused
thickening of a part arises from the interstitial deposition of matter in
the cells of the part, and is of three kinds.

Elephantiasis.—The first,
or diffused, is very slow in increase, forming gradually. A whole leg will
become stiff and feel tight by a loaded cellular membrane. It is most frequent
in the legs, and almost peculiar to some countries and to some peculiar
constitutions. A similar increase occurs in the thyroid gland : but this is of
the second kind. The diffused is very common in the legs of Barbadoes' people;
I have also seen it in this country, but very rarely. The legs of young people
I have seen so swelled as to be all of a size. It arises from an extravasation
of coagulable lymph equally diffused; the parts become firm and similar to
dropsy, only there is no pitting : it may be a kind of dropsy, for dropsical
swellings often degenerate into this kind of swelling; yet the cause of the two
may be very dissimilar : it is most frequent in young people. From its being so
diffused and general, and in the legs, and most at the lower parts, I should
think one of its immediate cases was a depending
situation, with a weakened action of the system in general, as a simple bandage
to support these parts often prevents it. [A preparation was shown, in which
a thickening of the leg put on the appearance of brawn.] There is no fixed
cure. In the case I saw I recommended mercurial ointment to be rubbed into the
parts, and a slight bandage. The ointment was omitted ; but the patient got
perfectly well in a few months. If these had failed, I should have sent him to
bathe in the sea. Pressure hinders the extravasation of more fluid, and we see
that tight boots make the legs thinner.

The second kind is an original disease, though it may be
attended with pain and inflammation. It is not circumscribed, though confined
to a spot, but gradually lost in the surrounding parts. It spreads in
proportion to the power of continued sympathy. A node is similar in appearance
to what this is of the soft parts, and perhaps is of the same kind.

The pain of indolent swellings is very little or none at
first, which is owing to the slow increase of the part not arousing the
sensibility ; but afterwards they have a heavy dull pain, producing sickness.
This is often from the size, as well as from the tumour itself pressing on some
other parts; for sometimes there is more pain in the surrounding parts than in
the tumour itself. I may also observe that they seldom or ever inflame, but
continue increasing till they press on surrounding parts, and raise
inflammation in these parts and not in themselves ; they are then often broken
down into a curdly substance, but appear not to be dead, as they do not give
the stimulus of extraneous matter: though the surrounding parts become
thickened, yet they cannot properly be called encysted. If it appears to be
scrofulous, the cicuta, sea-bathing, sal sodae, sea-water poultices, &c.
are to be tried; but these are sometimes useless, and extirpation becomes
necessary; or sometimes cutting into them is sufficient. They sometimes
suppurate, and then the sores are very difficult to heal.

The third kind consists in the interstitial increase of a
circumscribed part. This is it when the swelling keeps to the original part,
that part being circumscribed, as lymphatic glands, and also tumours or
enlargements of the fiver or spleen. They seldom affect the cellular membrane
till they suppurate, and often not then at first, which shows they have
something specific in them ; for if merely indolent the surrounding parts would
sympathise with them, as is often the case in the mixed cases. Although these
diseases are interstitial increases, yet they often become similar to a tumour,
and are understood as such.

Observations on the Cure of Indolent Dispositions in
Diseases.—We tnust first inquire whether they are wholly constitutional,
partially so. or merely local, as upon this rests our
treatment. We must not be satisfied with the present symptoms, but inquire into
the constitution, whether it is indolent or irritable. Such as arise from the
constitution are generally more diffused, and are often in many parts; and such
constitutions as produce local complaints show something wrong in them ;
however, the symptoms are not always satisfactory. I suspect these indolent
dispositions of the constitution require a specific stimulus, having something
specific in their nature. They do not spontaneously take on steps of cure, as
inflammation does ; and if they suppurate, they do not suppurate kindly ; and a
variety of things are required to assist them. The first thing to be done is to
remove the cause, if practicable, which it often is not, as changing the
country and situation. In all, resolution should be preferred, if possible, by
absorption ; for suppuration will do much harm. To procure suppuration in such,
a particular mode is required, for we are not to lessen the living powers, as
in adhesive inflammation that is healthy, but to increase them. The earlier the
treatment is pursued the better, before the habit has suffered, or the
surrounding parts have sympathised : sometimes a constant application of
mercury to the part, which produces a kind of irritation short of inflammation,
is advantageous ; if this is insufficient, fumigations with cinnabar, or with
plants which have essential oil in them, may prove serviceable. If these fail,
we must remove the indolent disposition by exciting an action which they are
incapable of taking on themselves. Salutary inflammation in surrounding parts
will produce other good effects in indolent diseases, for indolence arises from
a want of predisposition to healthy action ; thus, blistering the parts, and
giving cordials internally, are often of use ; but the more violent the
inflammation, the more effectually is the indolence of the part removed, if it
can bear it. Many indolent swellings are content with their own natural
actions, as natural parts are with theirs; but this is not so always ; but they
take on an inflammatory action, not salutary, but leading to a bad kind of
suppuration. The means of restoring the thickened parts is healthy inflammation,
which, as it goes off, does not leave them in their former state, but occasions
an absorption of the extravasated matter; nevertheless the part, after healing,
often retains somewhat of the original disposition. This treatment will not do
either in cancer or scrofula.

Of the Suppuration of Indolent
Parts.—-Resolution cannot always be effected, and suppuration will take
place, which suppuration seems to arise from defective animal powers, and not
from exerted powers. The matter is glairy, and the superficial parts are so
little susceptible of this that the matter is long in coming to the skin; so
that stimulating medir cines must be applied to bring on, if possible, good
suppuration, which can seldom, however, be done. Quick
ulceration is best effected by exciting and hastening the inflammation: this is
necessary in sound abscesses even, but much more necessary in indolent ones.
The next thing is opening them, which should not be done too early, as the
matter which remains in may increase the inflammation, which is necessary to
the cure. When an opening is made, it should be as large as possible ; and even
crucial incisions are frequently necessary : in many cases scarifying the sides
of the abscess is proper, to excite quick inflammation, and if there are any
sinuses these should be traced to their full extent: the parts then feel a
greater necessity of action. But this is not always sufficient, for after good
granulations are formed, the indolent state often returns, the granulations
becoming dark-coloured, and the matter thin and glairy, according to the
specific nature of the indolence ; this is the case often in old sores which
have become habitual from bad treatment. In old indolent parts and encysted
tumours the sac is often thickened, and even ossified, and the inflammation
then is sometimes so violent as to threaten mortification. But these parts
often become insensible to the common causes of inflammation, and when
inflammation does arise it is sluggish. In such, nothing can cure but dissecting
out the parts. Many abscesses, if out of the reach of surgery, or ill-treated,
run into an indolent state. Many means are necessary in treating them, but we
know of few useful ones : balsams and warm dressings are commonly used ;
sometimes they do good, at other times they have no effect; and when they agree
they lose their powers by continuance, when it becomes necessary to change
them, or increase their power. These balsams should often be mixed with red
precipitate. Tincture of myrrh also is often very useful in indolent sores,
requiring to be applied often, as it soon loses its efficacy : solutions of
alum, tincture of bark, solution of lunar caustic, aqua camphorata, &c.,
are often useful, and require to be applied as often as three times a day, or
oftener if the disease is considerable.

Porter, Roy. "The true history of the elephant man." Medical History 25.2 (1981): 218.

Sandell, Richard, et al.
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